On 01 Jul 2001 23:19:46 GMT, bhauser121@aol.com (BHauser121) wrote:

>I've done some fairly basic production using an external boom mic plugged into
>my camcorder's mic jack.
>
>The problem I have is that no matter which audio mode the camcorder is set on
>(12- or 16-bit), I can only pick up left-channel audio from an external mic.
>Of course, the built-in stereo mic works just fine.
>
>With a single external mic, I'm obviously not looking to pick up separate left
>and right channels. I would just like to have the same audio track coded left
>and right.
>
>Is there any way to do this in-camera? Have I just missed something completely
>obvious?
>
>Please e-mail any responses to BHauser121@aol.com.

Sony camcorders normally switch audio to mono
(both channels the same) with mono mics, but
this doesn't happen with some mics (I don't
know why - the plugs are identical). You can
easily force dual-channel mono by getting a
female to dual male mono "Y" adapter and a
L+R mono female to stereo male adapter from
Radio Shack and hooking them all together.
RS also makes a mono to stereo adapter, but a
couple I tried did not work reliably.